UK Must Have an Energy Strategy That Is Vital for Britain’s Future

By Cynthia Taylor

The UKs coalition government is being urged to boost manufacture by launching an energy strategy that is based on nuclear power.

This call comes from Neil MacDonald, a leading businessman and Senior Warden of Cutlers’ Company. Mr. MacDonald would like to see the uncertainty ending on security of electricity supplies and the future costs involved.

Mr. MacDonald spoke at the annual Cutler’s Feast, Sheffield where he told guests, that included Angela Knight, Energy UK’s new chief executive and Lord Heseltine, former Conservative Cabinet member, that energy security has been jeopardised by inaction from government for many years.

He continued that the UK remains vulnerable to Middle East instability with regards to gas and oil. He also mentioned that US competitors were enjoying reduced costs from shale gas reserves.

He insisted that the UK’s nuclear future needed clarity and that we need to be mindful of being reliant on Russian, China and France.

Mr. MacDonald said that there is a lot of discussion regarding renewables but that the UK cannot build a ‘national energy policy’ around solar and wind power.

He said that the UK’s manufacturing industry requires energy in order to thrive. And went on to say that it was vital that there is an integrated, user friendly, sensible energy strategy and that it is needed now.

Mr. MacDonald is the financial director of AES Engineering, Rotherham’s most profitable company and has echoed the complaints with regard to energy pricing that were made by Karl-Ulrich Köhler the European chief of TATA Steel.

Dr. Köhler said that manufacturing companies like TATA Steel were paying approximately 50% more than Germany and France. What this means is that energy for companies like TATA speciality steels based in Rotherham and Stocksbridge pay about £20 million annually more than their European competitors.

Mr. MacDonald says these differences are caused by government regulations, and that Whitehall should be taking action by listening. He also called on the government to make sure that the HS2 development for high speed rail will come to Sheffield.

He felt that it would be a disaster if a branch of HS2 does not come to Sheffield.